Ancient Bacteria to Mars

This article shows scientist from the U.S., Canada, Russia, and Sweden finding DNA from cells of microbes that were living in up to 10 meters deep ice in the Yukon, Siberia, and Antartica. This ancient bacteria has the ability to survive nearly half a million years in frozen conditions, similar to what Mars is like. Even though the cell is dead it's DNA fragments into pieces that are still able to make into samples. The strands are long from the continious repair that is taking place in order to remain alive. Mars is of intrest due to the stable frozen enviornment where these microbes could survive.